Nortek moves headquarters out of 100 Westminster; Alex and Ani nixes possibility of moving in

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Nortek Inc., the Providence-based construction industry supplier, is moving its headquarters out of the 100 Westminster Street office tower in Kennedy Plaza and into the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island building in Capital

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Nortek Inc., the Providence-based construction industry supplier, is moving its headquarters out of the 100 Westminster Street office tower in Kennedy Plaza and into the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island building in Capital Center.

The company has roughly doubled its local employees, to 90 people now, over the past two years and needed a more efficient location than the three floors it occupies in 100 Westminster, said Michael Botelho, Nortek’s vice president of strategy and investor relations. Nortek expects to move June 1 into 25,000 square feet of space on the 10th floor of the Blue Cross building, Botelho said.

Another Rhode Island company, Cranston-based Alex and Ani, had contemplated moving its corporate headquarters into the 100 Westminster St. space soon to be vacated by Nortek. But such discussions are now off the table, spokesman Gregg Perry told The Providence Journal in response to questions about the company’s possible move.

The new spokesman for the jewelry and lifestyle company said the thought of moving into the Providence office tower hadn’t risen beyond “very informal discussions.”

“The answer is no,” said Perry. “The company is very committed to Rhode Island and has decided … to keep its headquarters in Cranston and invest its resources in expanding the manufacturing capabilities in greater Providence.”